The 13 Best Waterproof Mascaras for Your Wedding Day

There are lots of things that a wedding makeup test will prepare you for—including the success of your big-day look in settings from sunlight to candlelight (and every camera flash in between)—but it might not take into account your in-the-moment overflow of emotions. To avoid accidentally muddling an expertly applied face with blackened tears of joy, opt for waterproof mascara. According to L.A.-based makeup artist Beau Nelson, who regularly turns out eye-opening looks for Kristen Stewart and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, finding the right one is simple—and thanks to summer’s latest launches, more customizable than ever.

Both in person and on camera, Nelson says years of experience have proven that nothing will make your eyes pop like jet-black mascara. For this, he prefers a volumizing formula, which “is the closest to a false lash” doe-eyed look you can get. If the goal, on the other hand, is feeling like the most beautiful version of yourself, fair-haired women (whose lashes are often pale) may be more at home in black/brown or brown hues. Brides with shorter lashes will enjoy the fringe-extending benefits of “lengthening” formulas, while “curling” mascaras will give gravity-defying shape and hold to those with stubbornly straight hairs.

Behind every great mascara application, says Nelson, is an eyelash curler—he uses one by Chanel on his clients before he does anything else. Then, to enhance what you’ve got, he suggests applying Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner between each hair with a brush to make them look, in his words, “really dense, thick, and lush.” For the most natural finish, two swipes of your favorite mascara applied thickly to the roots then combed gently through to the tips will provide the appearance of healthy lashes with delicate fluttering ends. All that’s left is to enjoy your wedding. You can cry if you want to.

Click through our guide to the best waterproof formulas for the ceremony.